Electric-railway trolley



(N Modem O. J. VAN DEPOELE, Deod.

C. A. COFFIN & A. WAHL, Administrators. ELECTRIC RAILWAY TROLLEY.

No. 515,308. I Patented Feb; 20, 1894.-

Witnesses y ,Cfi'

UNITED STATES PATENT OEETCE.

CHARLES J. VAN DEPOELE, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS; C. A. COFFIN AND ALBERT IVAHL, ADMINISTRATORS OF SAID VAN DEPOELE, DECEASED, ASSIGNORS TO THE THOMSON-HOUSTON ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF BOSTON,

MASS ACH USETTS.

ELECTRIC-RAILWAY TROLLEY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters'Patent No. 515,308, dated February 20, 1894.

Original application filed June 18, 1888, Serial No 277,425. Divided and this application filed November 8, 1890. Serial No.

. I 370,738. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES J. VAN DE POELE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lynn, in the county of Essex and State of l\Iassachusetts,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Railways,

' of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

This application is a division of my prior application for Letters Patent, filed June 18, 1888, Serial No. 277,425.

My invention relates to improvements in electric railways of the type in which a motor upon the vehicle is operated, and the car propelled along the line of way, by current taken from a conductor or conductors supported along and above the line, through a contact device carried by the car.

The features of novelty comprise means for controlling the contact devices carried by the car, and for placing them in engagement with the suspended supply conductors or vice versa.

The invention also comprises certain details of construction and arrangement as will appear from the following description and appended claim.

In the drawingsFigure 1 is an elevation showing an electric railway motor car, the suspended conductor, and contact device embodying my invention, and means for reversing and positioning the contact devices. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail View of the tension springs of the contact device shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view in elevation showing an electric railway motor car and suspended conductor, but differing from Fig. 1 in showing additional means for controlling the traveling contact making devices.

Similar letters denote like parts throughout.

As illustrated in the drawings, A, is a car of the type in use on street railways, and is arranged to be propelled by an electric motor B, suitably located thereon in any desired position and having its armature in mechanical connection with the carrying wheels thereof.

0, is the truck upon which the car moves.

D, is the main supply conductor suitably supported from its upper side at any desired height above the car, and extending at substantially the same height along the line of travel of the car.

An insulated post, standard or socket F, is mounted upon the top of the car, and provided at its lower portion with an enlarged base f, or other means by which it may be attached to the roof of the car; a brace rod f mayalso be provided. A bifurcated support or fork G, fits down into and is free to turn within the post F. A metallic frame or clamp H, is hinged at g, between the arms of the fork G, being thereby both hinged and pivoted upon the post F. Extensions or solid portions 71., upon the frame H, are longitudinally apertured to receive the contact lever or arm I, which is secured in the desired position in its hinged and pivoted supporting frame H, by set screws h. The arm I, consists desirably of a light flexible bar, which may be of metal or wood, and is bifurcated at its outer extremity to receive the grooved contact wheel J, which is suitably pivoted betweenthe extremities thereof. One or more tension springs K, three being shown in the present instance, are secured either to the lower end of the frame H, as indicated in Fig. 3, or an adjustable clamp 72, movable upon the arm I. The springs K are adjustably secured to the roof of the car bv chain and hook 7c, 7a, or equivalent means, and act to-press the outer end of the contact arm upward, and hold the grooved contact wheel J, in electrical contact with the suspended conductor D. A cord or chain L, is attached to one end near the lower extremity of the arm I, and at its other end to the arm I, but near its outer extremity or any convenient point on the opposite side of its fulcrum to that upon which the springs K, directly act. In case of accidental displacement of the contact wheel J, the cordor chain L, being provided with a suitable stop Z, will prevent the arm I, moving upward or swinging laterally beyond a pre-determined distance, and affords a convenient means of replacing the contact wheel in operative relation with the conductor. The pivotal connections between the contact arm I, and car, through the frame H, and post F, will allow the contact wheel J, to remain in operative relationwith the conductor, notwithstanding the swaying of the car due to unevenness of the track, sufficient lateral action as well as vertical action being permitted by the elasticity of the springs K, and further freedom of movement being allowed by the resiliency of the arm I.

As shown in Fig. 3, the mounting of the contact arm maybe somewhat varied, and I find that in many instances it'is desirable to place the post upon which said contact arm is carried centrally upon the top of the car and so mounting the contact arm that instead of turning the car preparatory to making the return trip the position of the contact arm can be reversed and the armature of the motorcausedtorotate in the oppositedirection.

As shown in'Fig. 3, the post F, is rigidly secured-in any suitable manner, at aboutthe center or the-top of the car, and said postis provided with an upward extending shank .shownindotted lines at F Upon the shank F is placed "a tubular support or sleeve F, in the-upper extremity of which the contact arm I, ishin'ged. From the 'lower'portion of the sleeve F extend horizontal-arms T, T, which maybe'of metal and rigidly secured to'or'integralwith the sleeve F The arms T, T, may also be additionally supported by bracerods t, t. Thearm T, may be provided with a roller or'other' friction reducing device 15', and a cord U, passing through the end of'th'e arm T, over thepulleyt', and extending upward and. secured to the contact arm 1', above its pivotal support. The lower extremity of the cord U, is in convenient position to either the motorman orconductor as may be desired, and by nections attached to the base of the posts F,

F, and leading to the motor. When, however, a non-metallic arm is used the current will be conveyedthrough a separate conductor carried by said'arm.

It will be obvious that the pivotally sup-- ported framezshown inFig. 3, in connection with the reversible contact arm .I, may,- be

substituted for the rigidly mounted post F,

and adjusting frame H, shown in Fig. 1. Also that the adjusting springs shown iii-Fig. 2, may be used in connection-with the struct ure shown in Fig.3,the-simple form of'spring shown at K, beingmerely for thefpurposeof illustrating the action of the apparatus. 7

It'will also be understood that the cord 1U, might be otherwise attached than as shown in said Fig. 3, and that books for attachment of the tension spring maybe provided at the extremity of each of'the arms T, T;

Having described my invention, what-I claim, and desire to secure by Letters'Patent,

The combination of a car, an overhead conductor, a contactdevice makingzunderneath contact with the conductor, a standard on the roof'of the car, anarm carrying the contact device pivoted onthe standard on aitran'sverse axis and free to swing around the stand ard, a spring connected to thepole or arm. for pressing the contact deviceupward against the conductor, and a line connected'with the arm above its pivotfor moving the arm.

In testimony whereof I hereto aftix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES J. VAN DEPOEL'E.- Witnesses:

FRANKLAND' J ANNUS, WM. D. Foot. 

